Lecture on Bhatkhandeji

Yesterday, 30th dec 2012,Sri Ramesh Gangolli, a mathematician, musician and musicologist gave a lecture on ‘Pt Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande’ at vidhushi Aditi Kaikiniji’s residence Bangalore. Everywhere New year mood was there, mixed memories of 2012 and anxiety about 2013. Sri Gangolliji is very good friend of my guruji. First I met him when guruji took me to USA in 1999. Guruji sang at seattle and we went to gangolliji s house, a nice person, gentle and very learned human being. He sang few times at guruji s residence and taught us few bandishes. The Lecture was very nice, few months back for my M Music , I studied Bhatkhandeji little bit. When he was talking about bhatkhande‘s life history, somewhere my mind was telling, hey I know this, oh I studied this. But later when he explained how bhatkhandeji‘s musical journey, it was interesting and informative. He was an institution, he was pioneer of modern Hindustani classical music. two great musicians Paluskar and Bhatkhande started swaralipi and revised few like ‘That’ system and Rag Jati system. The in depth knowledge and experience of this professor made us wiser with great theoretical aspects of classical music. He spoke for more than two hours, educating us about Bhatkhandeji s work. ‘Great mind think alike’, old proverb but proven again and again in different situations for different people. I am writing a essay on ‘the role of sath-sangat (accompaniment) in Hindustani classical music’ for my M Music. I have meet many musicians like Guruji, Nirodyji, Lalit raoji, Yavagalji, Venkatesh Kumarji. I could gather a whole lot of information on saath sangat . Basically every great musician’s views on music is same, may be their language and expression are different. Music is great; every musician’s main motto on the stage is same, delivering good music,. There is nothing like main artiste and side artiste or accompanist. Everybody is equal but as a lead performer on stage the singer holds them all to deliver a well co-ordinated recitals. They shared their experiences, their journey with sathidars. Sath-Sangat is very important subject in classical music. Not only in classical but in every genre of music which use accompaniment. Without that we can’t think of a performance. Talking to the senior musicians is always a pleasure and for sure they are always a guru and guide . Wishing one and all A Happy new year……